Facing Fears
by Anime Monkey Girl Fan
Summary: What happened to the bugs right before they came to James's rescue near the ending of the movie? One-shot


**I just rewatched this movie yet again after a few years, and I still find it one of my favorite of films produced by Tim Burton! When I was little, I found it so amazing and I would dance and sing along to the songs XD**

**Well, I had an idea of doing an one-shot afterwards, so here it is (This site needs more of these fanfics!). Sure hope I did them well enough in-character, especially Centipede. This takes place after James and the peach falls after the Rhino attack from the movie. Enjoy!**

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_"James!"_

Those were the screams of all the anthropomorphic insects as they watched in horror as both the giant peach...and their beloved friend...fell through the clouds below and out of sight, while they continued to grip for dear life on the strings tied to the seagulls, struggling to keep their wings flapping as the storm roared around them still.

They didn't pay any mind to the storm though; their eyes were all fixed on the very same place where the great peach had vanished through the clouds, while they still hovered there in the air...

"...James..." Miss Spider was the first to break the intense silence; tears beginning to form in the four eyes of hers as she moved her gaze away. Everyone began following her example in their own ways...fitting the mood of just the now falling rain.

A terrible pain was felt in all their hearts remembering that the kind boy who, despite being human, had become something of a family to each of them - even to the Glowworm that James had interacted with least was feeling as much sadness as the others. James was there to always encourage and keep their heads up on their journey, even in the most desperate times...the one who saved them from dangers they thought impossible to escape from, including the Rhino that the very boy stayed behind just to protect them from it...

...and now both that horrid creature...and James...were gone.

The Grasshopper solemnly lowered his own head. "He was...such an...extraordinary young lad."

A loud, although rather melodramatic, cry was suddenly heard from Earthworm, who everyone disregarded because of their own pain. "Oh why did you have to do it, James? Why did you have to be so brave in the face of danger? Why? Why?" If the Earthworm had any eyes; he would have been shedding tears as well.

"Earthworm, please," Grasshopper muttered gently, attempting to quiet the said insect, although this did nothing to ease him, nor themselves.

"Oh, James..." Miss Ladybug quietly sobbed, using a handkerchief she pulled from her purse to wipe away tears from her cheeks.

"May I?" The Old Grasshopper asked, in need of the fabric, which the Ladybug promptly gave to him afterwards - having been closest to each other while they floated there - using it himself to wipe one of his eyes covered by his glasses that was starting to fog up.

However, there was but one insect who wasn't yet breaking down like his friends; Centipede. His many legs were still gripping the strings of his own means of staying aloof in the sky; but were quavering a little as he continued to stare at the same place where the others had drawn their own gaze away...unable to accept reality...

"...Kid...you...can't be gone..." he said softly to himself as he slowly shook his head. He refused to believe it...refusing to believe that the boy who had become something of brother to him, had met his end...the optimistic Centipede couldn't accept it...he couldn't...

It was truly unfair to him! The poor boy had gone through years of abuse because of those despicable aunts of his after his parents died, yet he still managed to be so kind and always had hope he'll someday reach New York City to get away from that terrible life of his that he didn't deserve, and get a happy ending...even during the time when he, unintentionally of course, got themselves lost in the icy waters of a shipwreck...he was still having fate that they'll make it...and putting fate in him when the others did not that he'll be able to guide the Giant Peach to the city safely with the skills he lied about...

...yet James still believed.

But he never reached his dream after all that...for he instead fell to his death in the ocean after being blown off course from their destination, and were so close too...if only they hadn't left him like cowards to leave the poor kid to face off against the Rhino alone. He wished he could have at least stayed behind with him...stay behind with someone he called his own family.

Just as he was ready to give in to despair...he thought he saw glowing lights from below.

He blinked, dumbfounded; using a couple of his hands to rub his eyes clear to make sure he wasn't seeing things as he looked again.

He didn't even notice the rain had stopped as the clouds were beginning to part, and suddenly, like a dazzling show, the lights of a city appeared from below; sky scrappers lighting up as they rose from the crowded and noisy streets from below, with many activities still going on as if it was still in the middle of the day for them.

It...was New York City! They weren't off-course out in the ocean! And he was pretty darn sure they weren't in Jersey either.

"Hey, everyone! Hey! Look where we are!" Centipede pointed out for the insects, who all looked baffled for a moment, before gasping when looking down at the sight below.

"I'm guessing many miles out into the Atlantic Ocean?" The Earthworm guessed solemnly; unable to see both the sight and his friends gleeful expressions.

"No, you blind buffoon! It's New York City!" the Grasshopper corrected, with delight as he adjusted his glasses.

"New York?" The Earthworm perked up instantly.

"Oh we all made it after all!" Miss Ladybug exclaimed with happiness.

"Well," began Spider; looking the least impressed. "_Almost_ everyone."

"Hey cheer up, angel fangs!" Centipede encouraged; ignoring the look given to him by using that disliked nickname for her. "You do realize something right? If we weren't over the Atlantic Ocean when the Rhino attacked us..."

"Then...maybe James could still alive!" Miss Ladybug finished with a larger smile; hope renewing in her.

"How though?" Earthworm questioned; pointing out the flaws in their conclusion. "If he didn't drown in the ocean, he and the peach could have been squashed when they hit the ground!"

"Huh? What is that, dearies?" Miss Glowworm asked; her hearing failing her yet again. "Something about someone selling squashes?"

The Grasshopper suddenly lifted his antennas completely up in surprise as he stared through his glasses. "I wouldn't be thinking on the negative side just yet, Earthworm." he stated, ignoring Miss Glowworm's question.

"What are you talking about?" The blind worm asked, suspicious.

"Because I see James and the peach right down _there_!"

The rest of the insects all looked in the direction the Grasshopper was pointing out, and, while they were still too far up to see clear enough than him, they were able to see the round shape of the peach, surrounded by a crowd of people in the middle of the street below.

"James is really down there?" Earthworm asked; speaking aloud the same question that rang through the rest of the insects' heads.

Grasshopper nodded. "Indeed, my good friend," he replied. "He's right beside the peach and in good condition to boot!"

"I knew it!" Centipede grinned as he throw his hat in the air and caught it again. "it'll take more than a few stupid rhinos to take Jimmy down easily!" He really felt giddy.

The Ladybug could feel tears of joy coming on. "I'm so relieved!"

"As am I," agreed Miss Spider, smiling.

"I've haven't been this happy since the day I found a whole bound of fresh dirt!" Earthworm added happily.

Grasshopper couldn't agree more with the rest of his fellow insects; to find the boy alive and well filled his heart with joy. Just when he was about to add something, he froze as he inspected closer through his glasses at the scene in the streets. "...oh dear."

"Mr. Grasshopper?" Miss Spider asked, concerned, looking at him, along with the others.

"I, uh...do believe we have some trouble down there."

"What's wrong? Is Jimmy alright?" questioned Centipede, alert.

"Not while I see Spiker and Sponge coming out of a crushed vehicle!"

Everyone else gasped.

"H-How did they get to New York?" Earthworm cowered; his fear in the two aunts rising up.

"I thought we squashed those good for nothing old hags!" Centipede scowled.

Grasshopper quickly glared at the Centipede in warning. "Shh! Not in front of Miss Glowworm!" he scolded.

"Not in front of who, dearies?" The very same female insect asked in utter confusion.

"They must be here for James and the peach," Miss Spider stated as she worriedly looked at Mr. Grasshopper. "Do you see what they're doing now?"

"A second if you will," he said, looking through his glasses again and nearly lost his grip on the strings when he did. "Oh my! Those...witches are coming out at James with an _ax_!" There was noticable amount of rage he controlled in his voice.

"James is going to be going the same way my brother did!" Earthworm exclaimed.

Centipede, however, was not as afraid as the rest of his companions as he quickly put his hat back on, determiningly. "Not if we go down and teach those goons a thing or two about messing with our boy Jimmy!"

"Are you mad?" Earthworm asked, shocked.

"'Course not!" the Centipede responded, looking back at his friends. "Are you really going wait here while he gets chopped in two? I'm from Brooklyn, darn it! And one rule there is that if you mess with one of our buddies, then you mess with the rest of us! It's about time we stand up against those aunts of Jimmy's!" He moved his gaze over the others, who hesistated, waiting for a reply. "If you don't want to go, that's fine by me! I'll go on my own."

"Not so fast," Miss Spider suddenly said, surprising everyone. "The last time we left you on your own, you nearly got chopped yourself by undead pirates. So I'm going with you."

Centipede grinned at her, rather mischeviously. "Oh so you're going to be worried about me if I leave again, angel fangs," he said. "I suppose this means I won't get getting another reward when I return victoriously as a hero?"

"Don't push it," warned Spider; knowing what Centipede was referring to; although she did have a small sly smile on her face.

It was then Grasshopper's turn to speak up as he cleared his throat. "Well, I shouldn't be staying behind either." he stated. "After all...I do suppose getting a chance to whack at those wretches a few times will be a large opportunity to miss."

"We're going too!" declared Miss Ladybug, speaking for both herself and Miss Glowworm, who comfirmed this by nodding in agreement to Miss Ladybug's words. "I'm not going to allow James or any of to get hurt!"

Everyone looked at Earthworm and waited for a respond, who finally groaned. "If I end up getting split right down the middle, I'm blaming all of you."

"It's settled then!" Centipede pulled on the strings of the birds in an attempt to quickly lower himself further downward, with a still determined smirk. "Let's go save our Jimmy!"

The others followed his example as they too were lowering themselves quickly in an attempt to hurry down to rescue their friend.

"Hang on, James, we're coming!"

They were going to be brave for James's sake. He confronted his own fear, and now it was their turn to also confront theirs to help someone they considered part of their own odd family.

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When James looked up at the sounds of his name being called from above and the noticed the green glow shining overhead, he didn't need to ask what this meant; ignoring the amazed (but in his aunts' case, horrified) gasps from the city-dwellers as they all stared up and all gaped. He was the only one who beamed more brightly than ever before.

_I knew you would come._

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**It's longer than I thought it would be XD But yeah, this was basically the insects' side of the story after James and the peach landed on the Empire State Building, so I thought it would be interesting to do.**

**As you can tell from the small CendiSpider hints that I'm a fan of the couple myself XD**

**Review please!**


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